Cantilever table base

ABSTRACT

A cantilever table base comprising a pair of spaced support members wherein each support member includes a vertical upright carrier. Each upright carrier terminates upwardly in a cantilevered table support and downwardly in a cantilevered base support. The spaced support members are horizontally joined at the vertical upright carrier portions thereof by a horizontal rib which serves to both unify the structure and to provide lateral strength for the base.

United States Patent I Cohen 1 Apr.25, 1972 [54] CANTILEVER TABLE BASE [72] inventor: Philip Cohen, 135 Commerce Drive, Fort Washington, Pa. 19034 [22] Filed: July 13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 54,199

52 u.s.-cl ..248 /l63 511 ..F16m 11 00 [58] Field ofSearch .248/163,174,188,188.91,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Renaud ..248/163 X Thum ..287/54 C 1,714,814 5/1929 Plimptorl ..287/54 C UX 3,339,503 9/1967 Flodell ..248/188.l X 3,041,033 6/1962 Schwartz 287/54 C UX Manville.... .t248/188.91

Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz Attorney-Louis Necho [5 7] ABSTRACT A cantilever table base comprising a pair of spaced support members wherein each support member includes a vertical upright carrier Each upright carrier terminates upwardly in a cantilevered table support and downwardly in a cantilevered base support. The spaced support members are horizontally joined at the vertical upright carrier portions thereof by a horizontal rib which serves to both unify the structure and to provide lateral strength for the base.

1 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PA-TENTEDAPR 2 5 m2 INVENTOR.

PHILIP COHEN ATTORNEY.

CANTILEVER TABLE BASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the general field of furniture design, and more particularly, is directed to a novel .cantilever table base especially suitable for drawing boards, table working surfaces and the like.

Prior workers in the art have developed many forms of table bases varying from simple four-leg cornersupports to rather elaborately designed pedestal type supports. Other workers in the'field have designed drawing boards and other table working surfaceswhich utilize pairs of spaced, trestle-like supports to laterally carry the table surface at the transverse axis of the table top. Additional working table surfaces'have been designed to incorporate means to swivel the top in angular relation to the'floor whereby a worker can position the table surface at any convenient working angle. Such designs usually incorporate means to vary the distance between. the floor and the table surface to thereby provide complete adjustability of the table surface to meet the requirements of the user.

' However, all prior art designs of which I am familiar incorporate some type of base construction requiring the positioning of structural parts in the vicinity of the area where a worker would normally place his feet. Suchprior artsupport membersthereby presented tripping hazards on the job and adversely affected the comfort of the worker using the table top.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cantilever table base suitable for use with a working table top and incorporates a design which has been developed to free the under area ofthe table front from any obtrusive base construction.

The present invention includes a pair of spaced support members which co-operate to carry the weight of a tabletop at the lateral edges thereof. The support members are further designed with rearwardly positioned upright carriers which terminate upwardly in cantilevered table supports and downwardly in cantilevered base supports. A rearwardly positioned horizontal cross rib spaces'the supportmembers and additionally affords lateral strength to the table construction.

.It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved cantilever table base of the typeset forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel cantilever table base including a pair of laterally spaced support members, each support member incorporating a cantilevered table support and a cantilevered base support.

It is another object oftthe present invention to provide a novel cantilever table base including horizontal rib means designed to provide lateral support to the base construction.

It is another object of the present invention to providea novel cantilever table base wherein a pair of support'members BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cantilever table base con- .structed in accordance with the present invention, the table top supported upon the base being illustrated. in phantom lines.

FIG.2 is an enlarged, partial, cross-sectional view taken along line2 2 of FIG. 1,-looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a partial, enlarged, exploded, perspective view showing the connection between a support member and the horizontal rib.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limitthe scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in FIG. I a cantilever table base generally designated I0 and including a pair of right and left support members 12, 14, which are maintained in spaced relationship by the horizontal strengthening rib or brace 16. The support members l2, 14, are fabricated of light, strong sheet material, preferably bent sheet steel, to provide the required rigidity to the structure. Each support 12, 14, includes a vertical upright carrier 18, 20, of generally hollow, rectangular cross-sectional configuration. The vertical upright carriers 18, 20, terminate upwardly in respective cantilevered table top supports 22, 24, and downwardly in cantilevered base supports 26, 28. The respective table top supports 22, 24, and base supports 26, 28, affix to the respective associated upright carriers 18, 20, in well-known manner such as by spot welding where required to provide a rigid construction.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, each table top support 22, 24, is of a generally channel-shaped configuration and respectively receives the vertical upright carriers 18, 20, within the de pending flanges 30, 32, and 34, 36. The carriers 18, 20, ter-.

.minate upwardly against the underside of the respective top support connecting webs 38, 40, to thereby provide an extremely rigid construction when welded or otherwise secured in well-known manner. Each table top support 22, 24, forwardly overhangs the forward edge of its associated upright carrier 18, 20, to provide a short, cantilevered connecting web extension 42, 44, for table top connecting purposes. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the connecting web forward extensions 42, 44, are drilled therethrough to provide bolt receiving openings 46, 48, which may be in the form of elongated slots, to secure the table tope 50 in the usual manner by utilizing conventional bolts or screws (not shown). The table top supports 22, 24, additionally extend rearwardly from their respective associated upright carriers 18, 20, to provide cantilever support for the main weight of the table top 50. The top support connecting webs 38, 40, are respectively drilled rearwardly of the upright carriers 18, 20, to provide a second pair of bolt openings 52, 54, which may also be of elongated configuration for co-operation with the forward bolt openings 46,

48, to thereby securely affix the table top 50 to the right and left support members 12, 14.

The respective right and left base supports 26, 28, each form to a general channel-shaped configuration and include respective top webs 56,58, and respective pairs of side flanges 60, 62, and 64, 66, depending therefrom. The respective pairs of flanges 60, 62, and 64, 66, each terminate downwardly in horizontally bent, lateral feet 68, which may be drilled as required to provide a plurality of connector openings 70, for affixing the table base 10 to the floor by utilizing conventional fastening devices (not shown). The respective base support webs56, 58, are forwardly notched as at 72, 74, to receive the lower portions of the respective upright carriers 18, 20, therethrough, for strengthening purposes. As best seen in FIG. 3, the upright carriers 18, 20, extend below the respective webs 56, 58, and terminate downwardly at the bottoms of the flanges 60, 62, 64, 66. The bottoms of the upright carriers 18,

20,.are spot welded to the respective webs 56, 58, and flanges 60, 62, 64,166, in well-known manner, as required to provide extremely sturdy and maintenance-free connections. It will be noted that the feet-68. extend laterally from the respective flanges .60, 62, 64,66, to add stability to the structure and to rendereach support. 12, 14, entirely self-supporting.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the details of construction of the horizontal strengthening rib 16 can be readily observed. The rib 16 comprises a generally channel-shaped, elongated, horizontal member, extending parallel to the transverse axis of the table top 50. The rib 16 includes a generally horizontal web 76, and right and left flanges 78, 80, depending therefrom. As best seen in FIG. 3, the strengthening rib 16 terminates laterally in unique joints wherein the junctions between the respective flanges 78, 80, and the web 76, are slit to form bifurcated flange ends 82, 84, which extend laterally outwardly from the bent web end and serve to affix the rib 16 to the respective upright carriers 18, 20, as hereinafter more fully set forth. The web 76 bends downwardly at the lateral ends to form a depending tongue 86 for additionally securing to the upright carriers 18, 20. Fastening members 88, which may be self-tapping sheet metal screws, secure through holes drilled through the respective bifurcated ends 82, 84, and the depending tongue 86, and through matching holes drilled through the upright carriers to affix the lateral ends of the strengthening rib 16 to the upright carriers 18, 20. See FIG. 2. The flanges 78, 80, and the laterally positioned bifurcated ends 82, 84, space apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the upright carriers 18, 20, to closely overfit the upright carriers in a tight junction when secured in place by the fastening members 88.

It will be observed that when the lateral ends of the strengthening rib l6 secure to the upright carriers 18, 20, by means of the fastening members 88, an extremely strong junction is provided by the combination of the bifurcated ends 82, 84, and the action of the depending tongue 86 against the construction of the upright carriers 18, 20. The tongue 86 bends at right angles to the web 76 and tends to remain in the angular relation due to the strength of the bent sheet metal construction itself. Thus, the fastening members 88 which secure in position through the tongue 86, and the ends 82, 84, serve to absolutely prevent relative transverse angular movement between the strengthening rib l6 and the affixed upright carriers 18, 20, by tightly securing the tongue 86 in its bent position against the respective upright carrier 18, 20. The rib 16 and the rib securing construction precisely spaces the right and left support members l2, l4, and also prevents any tendency of the members 12, 14, to pivot laterally about the respective base supports 26, 28. Additionally, the respective base support flanges 60, 62, and 64, 66, terminate in the bent feet 68 to add stability to the construction, and further serve to resist any tendency of the table base 10 to pivot laterally about the base supports 26, 28.

What I claim is:

I. In a cantilever table base for supporting a table top in spaced relation above a floor, the combination of:

A. a right support member and a left support member,

i. said right and left support members being spaced to support the table top near the transverse edges thereof;

B. a cantilevered table top support forming the upper portion of each said right and left support member,

i. said table top supports being generally channel-shaped in cross-sectional configuration and including a first web and a first pair of depending flanges,

a. said first web adapted to contact the table top and be secured thereto, b. said first pair of flanges projecting downwardly towards the floor, c. said first web having a forward end and a rearward end; C. a cantilevered base support forming the lower portion of each ofsaid right and left support member,

i. said base supports being generally channel-shaped in cross-sectional configuration and including a second web and a second pair of depending flanges,

a. said second web being disposed in generally spaced relation above the floor,

b. said second pair of flanges projecting downwardly towards the floor and terminating downwardly in horizontally bent, floor contacting feet, c. said second web having a forward end and a rearward end;

D. upright carriers inter-connecting respectively a table top support and a base support of the right and left support members,

i. each upright carrier terminating upwardly at the said first web,

ii. each upright carrier contacting the first web intermediate the said forward and rearward ends thereof,

iii. said first pair of flanges overlying a portion of an upright carrier,

iv. each upright carrier terminating downwardly near the floor and below the said second web,

a. said second webs being notched to receive the upright carriers therethrough,

b. said second webs terminating forwardly at the upright carrier,

v. said second pair of flanges overlying a portion of an upright carrier,

a. portions of said second pair of flanges extending forwardly and rearwardly of the upright carrier;

E. a horizontal rib inter-connecting the upright carriers of the said right and left support members intermediate each said pair of table top and base supports,

i. said horizontal rib being generally channel-shaped in cross-sectional configuration and including a third web and a third pair of depending flanges,

ii. said third pair of flanges projecting downwardly towards the floor,

iii. the connections of the third web and the third pair of flanges being cut at the lateral ends of the rib to define a pair of bifurcated connecting ends and a tongue,

a. the bifurcated connecting ends lying in the same vertical plane as the third pair offlanges,

b. the tongue being bent downwardly from the plane of the third web,

c. the bifurcated connecting ends and the tongue being secured tightly to an upright carrier,

d. said bifurcated connecting ends serving to prevent lateral movement of the upright carriers relative to each other,

. said tongue serving to prevent relative transverse angular movement between the rib and the upright carriers, said connecting ends and the tongue each having an upright carrier contacting surface, said surface being in overall contact with a portion of the upright carrit i t t i 

1. In a cantilever table base for supporting a table top in spaced relation above a floor, the combination of: A. a right support member and a left support member, i. said right and Left support members being spaced to support the table top near the transverse edges thereof; B. a cantilevered table top support forming the upper portion of each said right and left support member, i. said table top supports being generally channel-shaped in cross-sectional configuration and including a first web and a first pair of depending flanges, a. said first web adapted to contact the table top and be secured thereto, b. said first pair of flanges projecting downwardly towards the floor, c. said first web having a forward end and a rearward end; C. a cantilevered base support forming the lower portion of each of said right and left support member, i. said base supports being generally channel-shaped in crosssectional configuration and including a second web and a second pair of depending flanges, a. said second web being disposed in generally spaced relation above the floor, b. said second pair of flanges projecting downwardly towards the floor and terminating downwardly in horizontally bent, floor contacting feet, c. said second web having a forward end and a rearward end; D. upright carriers inter-connecting respectively a table top support and a base support of the right and left support members, i. each upright carrier terminating upwardly at the said first web, ii. each upright carrier contacting the first web intermediate the said forward and rearward ends thereof, iii. said first pair of flanges overlying a portion of an upright carrier, iv. each upright carrier terminating downwardly near the floor and below the said second web, a. said second webs being notched to receive the upright carriers therethrough, b. said second webs terminating forwardly at the upright carrier, v. said second pair of flanges overlying a portion of an upright carrier, a. portions of said second pair of flanges extending forwardly and rearwardly of the upright carrier; E. a horizontal rib inter-connecting the upright carriers of the said right and left support members intermediate each said pair of table top and base supports, i. said horizontal rib being generally channel-shaped in crosssectional configuration and including a third web and a third pair of depending flanges, ii. said third pair of flanges projecting downwardly towards the floor, iii. the connections of the third web and the third pair of flanges being cut at the lateral ends of the rib to define a pair of bifurcated connecting ends and a tongue, a. the bifurcated connecting ends lying in the same vertical plane as the third pair of flanges, b. the tongue being bent downwardly 90* from the plane of the third web, c. the bifurcated connecting ends and the tongue being secured tightly to an upright carrier, d. said bifurcated connecting ends serving to prevent lateral movement of the upright carriers relative to each other, e. said tongue serving to prevent relative transverse angular movement between the rib and the upright carriers, f. said connecting ends and the tongue each having an upright carrier contacting surface, said surface being in overall contact with a portion of the upright carrier. 